Improvement in combined percussion and time fuses for shells



E. DRAKE.

Combined Percussion and Time-Fuses for Shells.

N0. 137,186, PatentedMarch25,1873.

AM PHUTO-LITHOGHAFHIC co. m: (bssmvs's macsss) UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

ELLIS DRAKE, OF STOUGHTON, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND JOHN S.

SMITH, OF LEICESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN COMBINED PERCUSSION AND TIME FUSES FDR SHELLS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 137,186, dated March25, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELLIs DRAKE, of Stoughton, in the county of Norfolkand State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful DoublePercussion, a Time, and a Time- Regulating Fuse for Elongated Shells orProjectiles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, sufficient to enable othersskilled in the art to which my invention appert'ains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure1 is a perspective view of my improved double percussion, time, andtime-regulating fuse. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section of thesame. Fig. 3 is a detached view of the rear percussion-plunger. Fig. 4is an end view of the fuse-case head and front percussion-plunger. Fig.5 is a perspective view of a time-fuse.

In each figure similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

This invention consists of a fuse-case provided with longitudinalgrooves for the reception of a plunger having spurs or legs to receivepercussion-caps, in combination with a retaining-spring to hold theplunger in position until the proper time, when it will yield and permitthe plunger to be thrown forward and explode the caps, all as will morefully hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawing, the letter A designates a fuse-case, whichis made of any suitable form or construction, and of any desired metalbest adapted for the purpose. The fuse-case is provided with theordinary head B and with a screw portion, 0, by which means the case isscrewed into the shell or projectile. The fuse-case is formed hollow--that is, with an opening extending longitudinally through it ,and in oneside is formed a longitudinal slot, or, upon the edge of which, on thebody A, may be arranged a scale indicating a series of seconds orhalf-seconds in figures; but I prefer to dispense with such a scale, anduse a fuse which has a graduated scale having second and half-secondmarks arranged in figures upon its surface, which figures will appearthrough the slot. When it isdesired to communicate a flame to the chargein the shell or projectile, a knife or (the shell.

other suitable device is inserted through the longitudinal slot a,perforating the covering of the fuse at the point desired, being guidedby the scale either upon the fuse-case, whereby the flame is allowed toescape and communicate with the charge in the interior of By this meansI avoid the necessity of cutting off the graduated fuse before it isapplied to the fuse-case. The wall of the fuse-case at the front end, onthe inside, is formed with one or more longitudinal grooves, at,extending from the face of the head B down into the case to about wherethe front end of the fuse stops. The grooves a are so formed as toreceive and guide the spurs or legs or spurs and legs 0 c of a plunger,F, preventing the same from turning, while the base of said groovesforms a foundation for the cap to strike and cause the same to explode.The front plunger 13, besides being formed with one or more spurs orlegs, 0, to receive percussion-caps, has attached to its body or portion07, in any suitable manner, a plate or spring, 0, the end or ends ofwhich plate or spring engage or enter a groove or slot, f, formed in thehead B, by which means the plunger is retained in its proper positionand prevents premature explosion, when the said fuse is charged andcapped, during transportation, handling, 860. The spurs or legs 0 areformed or provided with steel or other hard-metal points, 9, which areof a less diameter than the diameter of the percussion-caps, so thatwhen the shell or projectile is fired the force of the blow isconcentrated at one point upon the fulminate in the said percussion-capor caps, whereby a greater certainty of explosion is secured. The body Aof the fuse case, near its rear end, is formed with a diametrical slot,G, extending'from about the point where the rear end of the fuseterminates in the said fuse-case to within a short distance of the end,as designated by the letters h t. Within this slot G is arranged looselya plunger, H, which, when placed in said slot, has its edges j j headedso as to prevent the said plunger from dropping out laterally. The bodyor head I of this plunger is formed or provided with one or more spursor legs, I l, which are pro- .vided with steel or other hard-metalpoints,

m m, of a diameter less than the internal diameter of the percussion capor caps, similar to the front plunger F, except that the front plungercommunicates with the fuse, while the rear plunger communicates directlywith the powder in the shell. Upon the body or head I of this plunger His secured, in any suitable manner, a plate or springs, 0, the end orends of which rest in a groove or recess, 6,

or other suitable retainer, upon the end of the fuse-case, so as toretain the said plunger in its proper position and prevent prematureexplosion during transportation, handling, &c., by keeping the spurs orlegs carrying the percussion-caps out of contact with the wall or stopagainst which it hits when the shell strikes. When a shell or projectilecontaining a fuse, as above described, is fired, the force of impactbreaks the retaining plate or spring, or causes the same to yield andfollow the receding front plunger down, until the percussion cap or capsupon the steel or hard-metal points g g of the legs 0 c strikes the baseof the grooves, exploding the caps, the flame of which ignites the frontend of the fuse, and when the fuse has burned to the perforation, theflame bursts forth and communicates with the powder in the shell. Incase the flame has not reached the perforation in the fuse before theshell strikes, which may occur from too low elevation, the rear plungerH is thrown forward in the slot G by impact, the percussion-caps uponthe steel points at m strike against the end h of the slot b and explodethe caps, which communicates the flame directly to the charge in theshell.

An important and essential feature of this fuse is that it can becharged upon issue, or at a moments notice, it being yvell known thatfuses which are two or three years old absorb moisture, and therebybecome useless.

It should also be understood, by the peculiar construction of thisfuse-that is, by the employment of the rear plunger-its function andcertainty of execution are not interfered with when the shell strikesupon water, as it is, in fact, hermetically sea-led.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

A fuse-case provided with the grooves a a, in combination with theplunger F, having spurs or legs 0 c to receive percussion-caps, andprovided with the retainingspring 0 adapted to a groove or slot, f, inthe fuse-case, all arranged to operate substantially as described.

To the above I have signed my name this 11th day of December, A. D.1871.

' 1 ELLIS DRAKE.

Witnesses:

ALBERT H. NORRIS, JAMES L. Nonnrs.

